Anchor: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held an exclusive interview with KBS, where he expressed confidence that trilateral relations among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will continue to strengthen, despite upcoming leadership changes in the U.S. and Japan. He also said that Seoul is in ongoing talks with Beijing to arrange a bilateral summit, potentially during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit scheduled for next year in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul downplayed concerns that the trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo might be disrupted by upcoming leadership changes in the U.S. and Japan.

[Sound bite: Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (Korean-English)]
"Regardless of any leadership changes in the U.S. or Japan, I believe that the security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan will continue to deepen and strengthen." 

In an interview with KBS News on Sunday, South Korea's top diplomat sought to dispel concerns ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's resignation later this month and the U.S. presidential election in November.   
   
Minister Cho explained that a potential Kamala Harris administration is expected to maintain the core foreign policy approach established by the Biden government. 

[Sound bite: Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (Korean-English)]
"Vice President Harris may not have been deeply involved in foreign and security policies during her tenure, but she has consistently supported the Biden administration as its second-in-command over the past four years. Therefore, I believe that her basic policy direction and style would not differ significantly from the Biden administration." 

Cho also expected that the trilateral collaboration would remain strong even if former President Donald Trump were to return to office, describing Trump as a realist who understands the importance of maintaining strategic leverage.

[Sound bite: Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (Korean-English)] 
"There is one thing he has consistently and unwaveringly upheld. He has never mentioned easing or abandoning sanctions against North Korea. On the surface, he promoted negotiations and dialogue, even highlighting the exchange of his so-called 'love letters' with Kim Jong-un, but deep down, he knew that maintaining sanctions was essential. He clearly understands that sanctions are the only leverage for bargaining." 

Minister Cho likened the three-way cooperation with Washington and Tokyo to a chair with three legs, emphasizing that all three legs must be of equal length to stay standing.

In order to ensure effective three-way ties, Cho said that Seoul-Tokyo relations need to be as tight as the U.S.'s bilateral relations with both countries, noting, however, the challenging domestic political environments in South Korea and Japan to that end.

During the interview, Cho also revealed that the South Korean government is continuing discussions with Beijing to arrange a bilateral summit between Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Xi Jinping. 

He noted that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, taking place next year in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, could serve as a good opportunity for the talks. 
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.